Los Alamitos: Horses to bet (or oppose) in the $19,786 Pick 6 carryover

Once upon a time, non-jackpot $2 Pick 6 wagers were common throughout the country. They’ve largely been replaced by cheaper $1 wagers and inexpensive jackpot bets, but Los Alamitos is a holdout, offering a traditional $2 Pick 6.

A $2 Pick 6 is pricey to play, but the sequence for Saturday’s Thoroughbred card at Los Alamitos looks enticing thanks to a $19,786 carryover. If we can find a single or two worth building tickets around, the Los Alamitos Pick 6 could become both affordable and lucrative.

The sequence kicks off in Race 4 at 6:37 p.m. ET. A quick glance through the morning line odds for the six races might suggest #6 Self Isolation (4-5) in Race 6 as a possible single candidate. The daughter of Square Eddie is dropping from a stakes into a $20,000 allowance optional claimer taking place over one mile on dirt, but there’s a problem: Self Isolation is 0-for-4 on dirt, and her three highest Brisnet Speed ratings have been earned on turf. She isn’t necessarily unbeatable while switching surfaces.

A more suitable single opportunity might come in Race 5, a six-furlong maiden special weight. #6 Rhetoric (6-5) hasn’t run since last August, but the Bob Baffert trainee was sharp on that occasion, crossing the wire third by just half a length against future two-time graded stakes winner Forbidden Kingdom. Considering Rhetoric didn’t get the cleanest trip down the homestretch (and was upgraded to second place via disqualification), this was an impressive effort.

Rhetoric has worked sharply for his comeback run and picks up hot jockey Juan Hernandez, a 38% winner at Los Alamitos this meet. The 89 Brisnet Speed rating he posted last summer tops Saturday’s field, so unless his unraced stablemate #2 Western Cape (2-1) runs big on debut (not out of the question), Rhetoric should get the job done at a short price.

Bettors could also consider singling #3 Slow Down Andy (8-5) in Race 9, the Los Alamitos Derby. Last seen battling to a tenacious victory in the Sunland Derby (G3), Slow Down Andy missed a start in the Kentucky Derby (G1) due to an illness, but he’s bounced back with a sharp serious of workouts at Santa Anita. Slow Down Andy beat multiple graded stakes winner Messier in the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) over this track last December and appears poised to pick up another stakes win while returning to Los Alamitos.

Good luck!